Kansas Gets Into Bed With Sex Biz for Tax Auction

A chain of sex-novelty stores in Kansas is going out with a bang. Officials say an online auction of the company's inventory — with proceeds going to state tax coffers — is drawing huge interest. The auctioneer, Equip Bid, says the sale of handcuffs, vibrators and other adult toys that once sat on the shelves of five stores called Bang! is the biggest one it's ever run — though not everyone is happy. State Senator Anthony Hensley criticized Gov. Sam Brownback for getting in bed with triple-X enthusiasts. "Brownback is so desperate to fill the massive hole in the state budget caused by his reckless income tax cuts that the state of Kansas is now in the porn business," Hensley said in a statement.

The stores owe $163,986 in taxes, so the state revenue department seized its goods and and then released them for auction. A spokeswoman for the governor told Reuters that while he's no fan of the sex industry, the state can't destroy the items and the business was perfectly legal so the auction is the best solution.